Soul Searching
by Kidcomfy
Summary: Faith rides alone and gets injured. Every one does a little Soul searching to deal with what happened and why. *Final Chapter - Story is Complete *
1. Default Chapter

Previously on my version of Third Watch: Bosco is working with Sgt. Cruz on the anti crime unit because he and Faith had a falling out. Davis just got back on duty from driving some big shot around. Sully's wife was killed and he has no interest in his job any more. Yokas rode with him recently and after she caught him drinking on the job, she made him leave in the middle of the shift.  
  
Soul Searching  
  
[Scene opens with officers at the cage getting their equipment. Cruz walks by with Bosco following. Yokas walks up to Davis and they both eye up Cruz's sleazy out-fit as she passes. ]  
  
Faith says to Ty, "Bos just follows her around like a puppy."  
  
Davis explains, "I think he follows just to stare at her ass."  
  
She considers that for a moment then adds "But at some point he has to notice her face. Do you think she is nice looking? The guys drool all over her and I just don't see it."  
  
Davis shrugs, "Personally, I think she has a scowl on her face all the time, like she just drank a shot of lemon juice."  
  
Faith chuckles, "Yah and she has a personality to match." As they walk out to the cars together she says to him, "So you're back on the street."  
  
"Yah, I got tired of being a chauffer." he says with relief.  
  
"You're riding with Sully again?" She asks.  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Well, keep an eye on him. Last time I rode with him, his mind was not on the job." she warns.  
  
He shrugs the warning off with, "He's better now. He had some time off."  
  
Sounding motherly she adds, "Well just be careful."  
  
Changing the subject, Davis asks, "Where is your ride?"  
  
"Gussler?" she asks, almost laughing, "We backed up Bosco on a call and got into a shoot out. Scared the hell out of him. I don't think he's comen back. So I'm riden solo for a while."  
  
Davis looks concerned. "You think that's a good idea?"  
  
"Honestly?" she answers, "I'm looken forward to a little solitude. Besides.I have plenty of back up right?"  
  
"You got it." he says as confidently.  
  
Sully walks up. Faith says hi and Sully gives her a quick glance and then says to Davis, "You ready?" Davis says "yah", looks back and forth from Sully to Faith and gets in the car.  
  
Yokas watches them drive away, and say's out loud to no one, "I'm good.thanks for asken." then shakes her head and gets in her car.  
  
[Scene changes to Davis and Sully in their cruiser.]  
  
Davis looks over at Sully, "So what was that all about?"  
  
Sully stares straight ahead. "What?"  
  
"The cold shoulder." Davis tells him. "You pissed off at Yokas because she pulled you off the shift that night?"  
  
"I'm not pissed off." Sully growls.  
  
Davis raises his eyebrows and says "Ok". After a pause he adds, "She said she's riden alone."  
  
"I'm not surprised." Sully adds smugly.  
  
"Why?" Davis looks at him in disbelief.  
  
"Because.no one wants to have a partner they can't trust to cover for them."  
  
"But you're not pissed." Davis says sarcastically.  
  
Sully is growing annoyed. "I'm not talking about just me. A while back she turned Bosco in for something too ya know." Then he adds "That's why he's moven on to Anti Crime."  
  
Davis is unsure weather or not to believe him. "What did she turn him in for?"  
  
"I don't know. For being such a hot head or something. Said he needs counseling."  
  
"He Is a hot head." Davis says looking confused. "You've said so yourself."  
  
"That's not the point." Sully barks.  
  
"Well what's your point then?"  
  
"The point is." Sully pauses considering his words carefully, ".the point is, you gotta be able to trust that your partner will cover for you when you're having an off night. Your partner is suppose to step in and protect you from authority when you do something stupid, not turn you in for it."  
  
Davis, speaking to his own situation asks, "Even when that 'something stupid' could endanger your life?" and without waiting for an answer, he adds "Maybe she's just sick of it. God knows I couldn't put up with Bosco and all his crap."  
  
"Yah? Well she's lived with it all these years and now suddenly she 's had enough? I don't buy it. Bosco didn't change...she did. I think Yokas is getting soft. It's like she's gun shy."  
  
"Yokas?!" Davis almost laughs. "No way Sully. You're way off on this one.  
  
"No just think about it.I went to the men's room, I was gone all of 2 minutes and she panicked and sent me home because I shirked my duty. And then Bosco."  
  
Davis cuts Sully off, "I don't buy it man.she's riden alone tonight. Would she do that if she was scared?"  
  
"Alone?.yah...just wait and see how many times she calls for back-up." Sully points a finger at Davis, "I'll tell you one thing, I'm not gonna run to her beckon call every time she has a simple traffic stop. She chased her partners away, let her ride alone for a while. Maybe she'll appreciate us a little more."  
  
"Right," Davis repeats sarcastically, "but you're not pissed."  
  
"DAMN IT!!!!" Sully yells. He pulls over sharply and does a U turn.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?" Davis yells as he grabs the dash.  
  
"With all your yappen I forgot to turn off for my coffee and doughnut. I'm going back and you're gonna run in for me. End of conversation!"  
  
[As they head back they pass Faith standing next to a car that she has pulled over. She glances up at them, Sully glares at her and drives on by. Davis thinks to himself that she looked sad and somehow smaller...almost frail today]  
  
Faith is giving the driver instructions on how to pay his ticket when she notices three guys standing together on the sidewalk. The one with his back to her is showing something to the other two. She can't see what it is and they don't seem to be overly suspicious, but then.one of them notices her, and quickly, what ever they are looking at, gets put away into the guys coat and they start walking up the street. Still, they don't look panicked but they do keep looking back at her over their shoulders. She knows that they are up to something. If it were drugs, they would run off. It's more like they are waiting to see if she's going to leave. She gets into her cruiser and they begin walking back, then pause, watching to see what she will do. Slowly she pulls away, keeping an eye on them in the rear view. Satisfied that she is leaving, they walk up to the door of a diner, take one more look in each direction and walk in. Faith pulls over at the corner and calls in a possible 10-30 in progress and requests back-up.  
  
[Scene changes back to Sully in his cruiser waiting for Davis.]  
  
Sully hears Faith's call for back-up and says out loud "She's starting earlier than I thought". The radio sounds out a call for units in the vicinity. Sully doesn't respond. Another unit (55 Edward) calls in their location and says they are responding. Sully quickly grabs the radio and calls them off.  
  
"This is 55 Charlie.55 Edward don't waste your time on that possible 10- 30.I'm closer. We'll take the call." and as he clicks off his radio he says, "After I get my coffee."  
  
[Faith is working her way up the street to the diner]  
  
"55 Charlie what is your location?" Faith asks.  
  
Sully responds, "Just around the corner.be there in a minute."  
  
Faith reaches the door of the diner. Looking in, she can only see part of the inside and the one guy that had his back to her earlier. He is waving a pistol and barking orders. The left half of the diner is empty and it appears that everyone is on the floor to the right. Briefly she can see a second guy going back and forth, apparently collecting wallets and things from the customers.  
  
Not satisfied with Sully's response she asks, "55 Charlie.what is your ETA?"  
  
"We're a minute away." he says almost amused with himself.  
  
Faith looks at her watch.6:15. Not realizing Sully is ignoring her, she gives him instructions. "I need you to approach from the rear. I've got the front covered but I think they may try to leave out the back. Signal me when you're in position."  
  
"Roger." He torts back.  
  
Davis comes back to the car. He hands Sully his coffee and doughnut. Sully starts eating while Davis bitches about how slow the service was.  
  
Faith is still watching the robbery and waiting for Sully. She looks again at her watch.6:33. The guy with the pistol bends down and grabs a waitress by the hair and drags her over to the register. She opens it and stuffs the money into the bag he's holding. Suddenly, he begins to pistol whip her violently. She falls to the ground but he still continues the beating. Faith can't wait any longer.  
  
Faith grabs the radio and quietly says, "Sully I'm going in."  
  
Davis snaps his head around to Sully with a confused look. "What?..She talking to us?"  
  
[Back to Faith in the diner]  
  
Faith slams the door open, steps in, and yells "police" and as she turns to the right she realizes that the guy she couldn't see from the doorway is holding an automatic weapon. He immediately sprays across the doorway and the whole left side of the diner. Faith is struck in the chest and upper left arm. She is thrown back against the door jam and slides to the floor. The force of the shot to the vest, knocks the wind out of her. She struggles to get her breath.  
  
As the sound of gunshots fades to tinkling glass, and the screams fade to whimpers, Faith's breath increases to the sound of gasps as she tries to get air. She grabs at the pain in her arm and realizes that she is still clutching her gun. More from instinct than reason, she points the gun in the direction of the gunman. He is gone. They have already run to the back door of the diner like she first assumed they would. Suddenly her mind floods with the reality of what happened and what she needs to do. She grabs the radio and in a raspy voice yells into it."10-13.shots fired! I need a bus at this location.I've been hit.Sully.they're comen right at you!" She gingerly gets to her feet and checks the people on the floor, who are scared but unhurt, then works her way to the back of the diner.  
  
[Scene cuts back to Sully and Davis around the corner in their cruiser]  
  
"Son of a Bitch!" The panic in Faith's voice terrifies Sully. He spills his coffee as he puts the car in gear. Davis fires questions at him as Sully is yelling, "She just said possible 10-30.not definite.Shit! I didn't think it was real.Damn it!"  
  
His doughnut is tossed out the window as the car screams away from the curb. How could this have gone so bad? He tells himself he never intended to ignore the call, just take his time getting there. He never considered the call to be real or that he had really put her in danger. He tries to remember her exact words when she called for back-up. Did she report that she saw gunmen? She would have said that.and how many.  
  
Davis is now yelling, "Where are we supposed to be Sully?"  
  
"Nowhere!" he barks, "I said we'd radio her when we were in position."  
  
"What position are we suppose to be at? Why does she think we're there already?"  
  
Not even believing himself he says, "You were in the store.I couldn't leave without you."  
  
Davis looks at Sully in shock. "Why didn't you tell me we had a call? What the hell did you do Sully?"  
  
In his panic, Sully starts heading directly to the front of the diner instead of the back like he was supposed to. As they pass the alley behind the diner, Davis sees the robbers running up the alley towards them.  
  
Davis shouts, "Woh woh woh.. stop Sully! There they are!"  
  
Sully slams on the breaks and before the car can skid to a stop, Davis is out and running down the alley, gun drawn, yelling, "Police.put down your weapon!"  
  
The robbers fire a round at Davis as they stop to turn, and run back down the alley the way they came. Davis dives behind a dumpster to dodge the bullet.  
  
Faith reaches the door leading to the alley, the robbers are fast approaching it from behind. She opens it a crack and sees nothing in that direction. One of the guys running towards the door sees it opening and as she steps through it, he slams it against her with all his force. A Lightning-bolt of pain shoots through her head and then there is nothing. She falls limp to the ground. She lay there, blood running from the gash on her head and also out the sleeve of her coat, and with it flows betrayal. Bosco's, Sully's and hers.  
  
Davis calls for the paramedics as he runs up to her and kneels down. He calls her name and tries shaking her awake. No response. He removes her coat, now soaking with blood and looks frantically for something to wrap around the wound so he can apply pressure. He finds nothing so he uses his hands. Sully comes rambling up, shuffling around nervously.  
  
"Davis is she alright?" No reply. "Davis? Did you call for a bus?"  
  
"Yes" Davis yells Angrily.  
  
Trying to feel helpful, Sully tells Davis, "You need to put a lot of pressure on that."  
  
"I am Sully." He snaps, obviously annoyed with him. "Why don't you go to the street and wait for the paramedics."  
  
Sully looks at Davis and tries to read his thoughts. Is his partner angry at him or ashamed of him? "GO.DAMN IT!" As Sully hurries away he realizes the look from his partner is disgust.  
  
Davis calls her name again and this time she stirs. She moans, and grabbing her chest, gives a few weak coughs. Her eyes blink as if to clear the fog, and then says in a whisper "What happened?"  
  
Davis answers "You were slammed pretty hard with the door."  
  
Faith moans and puts her hand up to her face. Then a look of remembrance comes over her. "Davis are you alright?"  
  
He answers, a little surprised "Yah I'm fine."  
  
"How about Sully? He's ok?" she adds.  
  
"We're both fine. We got there after the fact."  
  
Faith looked worried. "I sent them right at you. I really screwed up. I should have waited."  
  
Trying to reassure her, Davis says, "No. No ya didn't. We weren't there."  
  
She looks up at him, "That was stupid of me huh? Busten in like that with no back-up." Her voice is very faint now and her eyes are almost closed.  
  
Davis starts, "We should have." he considers his words carefully and continues with, "We got stuck. We were stuck in traffic. I'm sorry. We should have gotten here quicker." Davis sees the paramedics coming down the alley and he says in relief "Here they come. Just hold on Faith. You're gonna be alright."  
  
Faith opens her eyes and in a soft voice says, "Davis.you remember earlier when I was talken bout that solitude stuff?"  
  
"Yes" He could barely hear her.  
  
"Well I was wrong." she whispers, "I did some soul searching and I don't like being alone. I went against my partner and this is what I get."  
  
[The scene changes to the precinct. The sergeant is heading out the door as Bosco and Cruz come in.]  
  
Hurrying to the door the sergeant says, "Boscorelli it just came over the radio that Yokas has been shot."  
  
Bosco stops dead. "What! Is she all right?" He starts walking with the sergeant.  
  
"I don't have the details. She walked in on a robbery. They're taken her to Mercy. That's all I know. I'm on my way there now."  
  
Bosco grabs the keys from the sergeant and says, "I'll drive."  
  
Cruz puts her hands on her hips and says with an attitude, "Where do you think you're goen?"  
  
Without giving her a thought he says, "Faith got shot.I'm goen to Mercy." Tipping her head to the side, Cruz says "You have paperwork to do."  
  
"I'll do it later." Bosco says looking at her in disbelief. "My partner was shot."  
  
Obviously pissed off she snaps back, "She ain't your partner."  
  
"Are you serious?" and without waiting for her reply he adds "Look, she's my best friend."  
  
Cruz glares at him "You don't ride with her you ride with me.no." she waves her index finger at him, "you work for me. And if you disobey a direct order you can kiss the anti crime unit goodbye."  
  
He takes a step towards her and says, "Fine. This isn't what I'd hoped it would be anyway."  
  
"Then you're done." She threatens.  
  
"Good." Bosco starts to walk away then turns back to her, "and you know what? You're wrong.Faith will always be my partner."  
  
Cruz shoots him that eaten a lemon scowl and he walks out.  
  
[The scene changes back to the alley where the paramedics are loading Faith into the bus. Doc asks Davis if he wants to ride with them.]  
  
Sully steps in, "No he'll ride over with me. We'll be right behind you."  
  
Davis, ignoring Sully says "Ya, I'm gonna ride with Faith." Then looking at Doc says, "I don't want her to be alone."  
  
As Doc walks out of earshot, Sully says, "Davis we need to talk about what happened."  
  
"Later Sully." Davis says as he hops in the back and closes the door leaving Sully standing there.  
  
Davis rides along in silence. He thinks about a conversation he and Sully had when he was new on the job. Sully was describing Faith to him. He said she was 'the perfect cop. Tough but sensitive, brave but level headed. You can learn a lot from her. And if Yokas ever breaks a rule.then the rule needs to be changed.'  
  
Sully really had a lot of respect for Faith. Davis wonders.has his partner really lost all respect for everyone? for the job? Sully has had some problems in the past, with his drinking and with Tatiana, but this is something he can't forgive. He thinks that maybe it's time to look for a new partner. Yet, he has already covered for him.  
  
Alone in his squad car, Sully is worried. Not for what trouble he will be in, but worried for Faith and about what Davis thinks he did. If he gets a reputation for turning his back on another cop.God, that is something he could never live with. His life as a cop will be a living hell. He has got to make Davis and Faith understand that he didn't ignore her call for help. He just didn't believe it was a call for help. For the first time in a long time he realizes just how much his job means to him and how important his reputation is.  
  
[Arriving at Emergency, Davis follows as they wheel Faith in. He stops near the desk and Sully walks up and grabs his arm.]  
  
"Davis, come over here, we need to talk about what happened."  
  
Davis responds with, "I know what happened"  
  
"No.ya don't." Sully says desperately.  
  
"Well then," Davis says smugly, "why don't you write the report. Say what ever you need to. I'll read it and sign it."  
  
"And you'd be ok with that?" Sully shoots back at him.  
  
Davis raises his eyebrows, "More ok with that, than having you think that I didn't cover for you. Faith wouldn't cover for you, and look what you did."  
  
Sully looked hurt. "See now.ya got it all wrong."  
  
"I told Faith that we were stuck in traffic." Davis informs him. "You fill in the rest."  
  
He grabs Sully's hand off his arm and pushes him aside as he walks into the waiting area. Sully stands there dumbfounded. He looks down at his hand where Davis grabbed him and realizes that his hands are covered with Faiths blood.  
  
[Fred is in the back of a squad car that is bringing him to Mercy. He looks worried as he stares out the window. A song starts playing. Sheryl Crow's "Till You're Safe And Sound" from her "C'mon c'mon" cd.]  
  
[maybe this is forever - forever fades away] [like a rocket ascending into space]  
  
Bosco walks up to Faith's bedside.  
  
[could you not be sad] [could you not break down]  
  
She is barely conscious. He takes her hand and leans over her speaking softly.  
  
[after all I won't let go] [until you're safe and sound] [until you're safe and sound]  
  
Cruz is sitting at her desk looking angry. She snaps a pencil in half.  
  
[There's beauty in release] [There's no one left to please]  
  
Back to Bosco leaning over Faith.  
  
[but you and me]  
  
Fred enters the room and runs up to the bed.  
  
[I don't blame you for quitting] [I know that you really try]  
  
Bosco steps back without letting go of her hand.  
  
[If only you could hang on through the night]  
  
Davis is pacing the waiting room nervously.  
  
[I don't want to be lonely]  
  
Sully is sitting, staring at his hands.  
  
[I don't want to be scared]  
  
The waiting room is full of cops and paramedics.  
  
[All our friends are waiting there] [Until you're safe and sound] [Until you're safe and sound]  
  
Bosco gently places her hand on the bed and lets go of it.  
  
[There's beauty in release] [There's no one left to please] [But you and me]  
  
Bosco steps farther away from the bed and stands there looking down.  
  
[Feel like I could have saved you] [Feel like I could have saved you] [Feel like I could have saved you] [Feel like I could have saved you]  
  
Fade to black. 


	2. Turning Over A New Leaf

This is my first Fanfic and I wasn't planning to do a second chapter but I got requests for more, and it is so much fun to write, so here goes. By the way, I don't know if I need to do a disclaimer so just in case, I don't own the characters, I just manipulate them. I also don't own the songs. Please r and r. It gives me incentive.  
  
Chapter Two "Turning Over A New Leaf"  
  
Previously on my version of Third Watch:  
  
Sully is feeling ashamed of his actions when, out of anger, he failed to respond to a call for back up by officer Yokas. Yokas was hurt in the incident and is in the hospital. Ty is also ashamed of Sully's actions and is considering looking for a new partner. Bosco had been riding with Cruz in the anti crime unit. Cruz got mad at Bosco for leaving to go see Faith after she was shot, and kicked him off anti Crime.  
  
[Scene opens in Faith's hospital room]  
  
Fred is sitting in a chair looking up at the TV. He says out loud "All right!"  
  
Faith stirs and then awakens. Her left eye is reddish purple and swollen closed. She has a butterfly stitch across the gash on her forehead and her lip is split and swollen. Painfully she speaks. "Fred, when I got back from x-ray you were gone. I thought you went home."  
  
"I did." He said casually. "I had to get the kids off to school. So what did the x-rays show?"  
  
"The doctor said that my eye was not fractured, just badly bruised. I'm gonna be black and blue for a while. I have a few bruised ribs and the bullet went straight through my arm so I won't need surgery. I am going to be-" She pauses in mid sentence. "What time is it?"  
  
"Nine in the morning." Then excitedly he says, "Faith, look- you get HBO and a Bruce Willis movie is on."  
  
"Why aren't you at work?"  
  
"I called and told my boss what happened. He said I could have as much time off as I needed."  
  
"Really? I didn't think you've been there long enough to get personal time."  
  
"I haven't. I gotta take it without pay, but I don't get a black mark on my record, so what the hell. Might as well take advantage of it."  
  
"Fred" she strains to look at him, "we can't afford for you to take off with no pay."  
  
He glances at her and says sarcastically, "Well it's not exactly my fault that I have to do this, is it?"  
  
"You don't need to sit here with me. I'm fine. They may send me home tomorrow." Fred continues to stare at the TV as though he is really engrossed in the story. Faith continues, "The pain killers they're giving me, make me drowsy anyway. I won't be good company. You really should go in to work."  
  
Fred chuckles out loud, still staring at the TV and says, "Oh, this is my favorite part."  
  
Faith gives up. She knows how Fred is. Whenever she tries to talk to him about something he doesn't want to hear, he focuses his attention on something else and ignores her. Normally this would cause a good argument but she is too sore and drowsy to bother. She also knows that in future arguments he will be throwing this back at her, how he had to loose money because of her dangerous job. And look at him, he didn't take off out of concern for her. He took off to watch HBO all day. Venting her anger she growls "Where the hell is that nurse. My pain pills are wearing off."  
  
[Scene cuts to the street in front of Ty Davis' apartment]  
  
Ty pulls up and parks in back of John Sullivan's car. As Ty climbs out of his car, Sully climbs out of his too and says, "I was just about to drive away. I've been waiting about twenty minutes."  
  
Ty grabs his gym bag out of the back seat and without looking at Sully, he says, "I went to shoot some hoops. What do you want Sully?"  
  
Sully looks at the ground sheepishly and says, "I thought maybe we could go get some breakfast, it's on me, [pausing] and maybe we can talk about what happened yesterday."  
  
Ty says coldly, "I've gotta take a shower and then I've got some stuff to do."  
  
"I really need to talk to you. Please. Just give me a few minutes." Sully steps in front of Ty and looks at him pleadingly.  
  
Ty exhales loudly and with a nod says, "Ok. Go ahead. Talk."  
  
"Not here. Lets go inside. It won't take long."  
  
Ty walks up to his door and unlocks it. He motions for Sully to enter and asks, "You want some coffee? I don't have any liquor in the house."  
  
"No." Sully says in a whisper. Sully sits down at the table and begins to wring his hands nervously. "Look, I admit that I was angry at Faith for sending me home in the middle of my shift that day. I've been feeling sorry for myself lately and I know I've been a jerk. I guess I just wanted everyone else to be feeling sorry for me too. I thought Faith would be more, understanding I guess, you know, let me be a jerk for a while out of pity or something. Truth is, I've been blaming everyone else for my problems, everyone but me. I said those things about Faith because I was pissed off. I didn't mean any of it. I've been telling myself for so long now, that everyone else is treating me badly, that I actually started believing it."  
  
Sully looks Ty directly in the eye and says, "Honest to God, I didn't believe that Faith really needed backup at that diner. You have to believe that. I've been acting like I don't care about anything, but Ty, my job, my reputation as a cop, is the only thing I have in my life. I would never jeopardize another cop by ignoring a call for help. You have to believe that. Faith called it in as a possible 10-30, 'possible'. I thought it was someone skipping out without paying his tab. She never said there were perps, or that she saw guns. You know Faith, she always calls the details over the radio. This time, her call was only for a possible 10-30."  
  
Davis studies his face for a moment and then asks, "Are you blaming Yokas for not calling it in right? For not making you believe it was important enough for you to respond?"  
  
"NO.God no! I'm not making an excuse for what I did. I was wrong. I'm just explaining to you why it happened. I judged the situation wrong because I was being a jerk, not because I was being malicious. You have to believe that. I need you to understand that I never meant for Faith to be in danger. I will regret what happened for the rest of my life, and believe me, I will never act like that again. I'm gonna get counseling. I'm turning over a new leaf and I'm gonna go back to keeping my personal feelings out of the way of my job."  
  
Davis stares at the floor for a minute. He really wanted to believe his partner, and just say ok, I believe you, I forgive what you did. But instead he said; "Ok then you have to make it right."  
  
Sully looks up at Davis, "I already wrote a report saying that we got there late because of traffic, but I didn't hand it in. You want me to change it and tell the truth? Because I will if."  
  
Davis cuts him off with, "No, I really don't want every one to know what we did. I want you to tell Yokas what really happened. You tell her everything you just told me, and if she can forgive you and if she thinks you're worthy of another chance, well, I trust her judgment."  
  
Sully smiled and said "Really?"  
  
"Really. If she can over look this, I'll sign your report and this whole thing can just go away. But, if she don't, I'm gonna write my own report stating what really happened, blaming you for the whole thing, and washing my hands of it. Internal Affairs can sort it out and you and me will go our separate ways. Deal?"  
  
"Deal." He said, feeling a weight off his shoulders.  
  
Davis then walked over and opened his door and motioned for Sully to leave.  
  
[Scene changes back to the hospital room]  
  
Fred stands up and stretches then calls his wife's name loud enough to wake her up. Faith opens her eyes slowly. Fred says; "I'm going to get some coffee and a sandwich before the next movie starts. You want anything?"  
  
"No. Has the doctor come in yet?"  
  
"No. The nurses came in and out a lot, but you barely woke up. The last nurse said the doctor will be making his rounds after lunch." As he turns towards the door, he sees a familiar figure standing in the doorway, and says under his breath, "Great, Bosco's here."  
  
They exchange hellos and Bosco asks how Faith is doing. Fred says sarcastically, "As well as could be expected, considering she was shot and beat up. She's sleeping, don't wake her. She needs her rest." He then walks past Bosco and leaves the room.  
  
"Hi." Faith gives a weak smile to him.  
  
Bosco walks up slowly to the bed and shows her a small plant that he brought for her. "I got you this. It isn't much. How are you feeling?"  
  
"How do I look." She says.  
  
"You look good" he tells her, then looks uncomfortably around the room.  
  
"I can always tell when you're lying." She says trying to smile and ease the tension of an awkward moment.  
  
"You look like hell." He says grinning. "You look like you were hit by a bus. What did the doctors say? When can you go home?"  
  
"The doctors were worried that I might have fractured the bone around my eye but the x-rays were good. No broken bones. And the bullet went right through my arm so it just has to heal. But I'm really sore. My ribs, you know, where I got shot in the vest."  
  
"Yah, thank God for vests." He looks down at the floor and then his expression changes. "Faith, I'm really sorry. I'm your partner; I should have been there. You should never have been riding alone. This is all my fault. I've been a jerk and "  
  
"Stop it. This was not your fault. We are not partners any more. It was mutual. You want to move on to more excitement and you should. Anti crime is more your style, but obviously, it is too much for me."  
  
Her attempt at humor was lost on Bosco. He looked sad as he said, "It isn't all it's cracked up to be. Anti Crime. It ends up being ten minutes of excitement and eight hours of paperwork." He hesitates for a second and says softly, "I quit it."  
  
"What? You worked so hard to get into that unit. You can't quit it yet, give it more time."  
  
"Too late, I had a falling out with Cruz. She booted me yesterday."  
  
"Well apologize to her. She's a bitch, but you know how to handle someone like her."  
  
He looked at her and the words seemed hard to get out. "I want to ride with you again. This crap that happened between us- it was stupid. We, [pause] together, we were great. We can really make a difference. That is what I want to do." He studied her, waiting for her reply.  
  
"Bosco, you're just saying that out of guilt."  
  
"No. No I'm not."  
  
"Look, I appreciate what you're saying. I do. I'd be hurt if you didn't feel that way. But I don't want to hold you back. You belong in anti crime."  
  
"I didn't make this decision lightly. This is how I feel."  
  
"Bos, you have to give it another try. Promise me you'll talk to Cruz. Stay on Anti crime at least until I come back. If you still hate it by then, we can talk to the boss about being partners again."  
  
"And What makes you think I'm gonna let you go back?" Startled they both turned, to see Fred standing in the room holding a hospital tray of food. "And if I let you go back, I certainly won't allow you to be partners with him again!"  
  
"You won't allow me?!" Faith shoots back.  
  
"That's right. I cant live like this."  
  
"What, ya mean eating hospital food and watching HBO?" Her attempt at lightening up the conversation, only made him angrier. He slams the try down hard on the counter.  
  
"I mean having Bosco dictate our lives. No more Faith. You never do anything that might inconvenience Bosco. But he moved on and didn't give you a second thought. Not until you went for the sergeant's exam, then suddenly he pops into your life just long enough to mess you up. And whoosh, he's gone again. Now look where you are. Partnering up with him again is not only dangerous, it's a step backwards." Faith tries to interrupt him but he cuts her off. "Don't try to stick up for him. When and if you go back to work, you will take that sergeant's exam and better yourself, for us, your family, or you move the hell out of my home!"  
  
"Your home? You mean the home I grew up in? The home I pay for?" Her head pounded as she raised her voice. "And how are you going to afford living without me on your new ten dollar an hour job? Working nights as a stock boy? This is my job. I'm a cop. I like being a cop, and you have no say in how I do it."  
  
"I mean it Faith. You either quit this job, or you move on up to sergeant [pause] or don't come home." He glares at Bosco for a second, then turns and storms out of the room.  
  
Bosco, feeling really uncomfortable says, "You want me to go after him?"  
  
She answers "No" as if the question was ridiculous. "He's just tired. He's been up all night worrying about me. He tells me I have to quit my job all the time. He'll get over it."  
  
Bosco felt a little relieved but then he asked, "What did he mean about me messing you up on the sergeants exam?"  
  
"Well.when I took it, you were going through that PTSS. He thinks I was distracted because I was worried about you."  
  
"Is he right? I mean, I can't imagine you not passing that exam."  
  
"I don't know. The exam was really hard. I don't think I really wanted to pass it. I don't want to be a sergeant. Fred thinks that I'll be making a lot more money. He thinks it's gonna buy us a house and all kinds of stuff." She looks at him painfully. "More money just means bigger bills and more stress for me, while he enjoys all the extra money with the kids." She unloaded a little more on Bos since she had him listening. "Every time he has to do something for the kids at school, he throws it in my face with; 'I'll do it, someone has to'. Yah. Of course one of their parents has to, but this one works!"  
  
Bosco didn't really want to hear any more. He usually stuck up for Fred when Faith went off on a rant about him, but this felt different. How could Fred be such an asshole to her while she is hurt and in the hospital. He decided he'd better leave before Fred gets back or he may do something to the guy he'll regret. "I've gotta get going. I gotta get to work."  
  
"I'm sorry I went off on a tangent. Don't let me chase you off."  
  
"No, it's not that. I want to get there early, you know, to talk to Cruz."  
  
"Oh, good. Good for you."  
  
[Scene changes to the precinct locker-room]  
  
Bosco is sitting on the bench in front of his locker, his elbows on his knees, hands locked, with his chin resting on his knuckles. He keeps trying to get his thoughts together on what he will say to Cruz, but his mind keeps drifting back to Faith. How scared she must have been when she entered that diner alone. How hurt and fragile she looked lying in that hospital bed. He feels a sinking in his chest. He rubs his eyes hard with his fingers as if to wipe that image off his mind.  
  
He glances over at Cruz's locker and Fred's words start sounding in his head. "If I let you go back to work, won't allow you to be partners with him again, you never inconvenience Bosco, he moved on and didn't give you a second thought, he pops into your life long enough to mess you up."  
  
The sound of a locker slamming open made him jump. "Cruz" he said out loud jumping up. He hurried over to her. "Sergeant, can I talk to you for a second?"  
  
"No." she said glancing away from him and slamming her locker shut. "I'm in a hurry."  
  
He put his arm out to stop her and began with "I just want- "  
  
She promptly stiff arms him out of her way and says "later." And as she opens the door to leave, her voice seems a little less harsh when she says, "Boscarelli, you're gonna be late for roll call."  
  
He looks up at the clock, starts to the door, darts back to his locker to grab his hat, and then races out of the room.  
  
[Scene changes to the de-briefing room]  
  
Bosco rushes in and slides into a chair. Lieu is handing out sheets of paper with the faces of three young men on them. He offers one to Bosco as he goes back up to the podium. "These men have robbed three diners that we know of. They are armed and extremely dangerous. They carry automatic weapons and have already shot one cop. If you find them, call for back up."  
  
Cruz walks in. A few of the cops whistle and she torts at them, "These children need discipline."  
  
Bosco barks, "Knock it off." Then realizing that every one is staring at him he says, "Grow up."  
  
Cruz says "Lieu, I need to borrow officer Boscarelli."  
  
Bosco looks up surprised. Lieu nods and motions for him to go. Bosco stands up and struts towards the door. "See, when you act mature you get to work with the real cops."  
  
Lieu tells everyone to settle down. "Sullivan, I'm still waiting for your report on the diner shooting."  
  
Sully says, "Yah Lieu, I'm still worken on it. I need to, uh, get a few facts straight with Yokas."  
  
"Ok then that's it. Keep your eyes open out there."  
  
Bosco catches up to Cruz who is hurrying ahead of him, and holds the paper in front of her face. "Are we going after them?"  
  
Cruz stops and grabs the paper from him and says, "You have paper work to do. Remember yesterday? 'I'll do it later.' Well it's later. I need that paper work done, and if it isn't done right, you will do it over and over until I'm satisfied with it." She starts to walk away and then she is struck with another thought. "Oh yah," Holding up the paper, "We are going to get these guys, and I'm gonna show Yokas how to do this job right."  
  
Bosco grabs her arm hard. "When you find these guys, I want to be there."  
  
She considers him for a moment and says, "Then you better get that paper work done, coz we ain't gonna wait for you." She turns and walks away.  
  
Bosco watches her walk away, not really sure just what happened. Is he back on anti crime? Is she mad at him? "God I don't understand women!"  
  
[Music starts playing. Matchbox 20's "Push"]  
  
Faith is alone in her hospital room.  
  
[She said I don't know if I've ever been good enough  
  
I'm a little bit rusty, and I think my head is caving in ]  
  
Fred is sitting in a bar staring angrily at his beer.  
  
[And I don't know if I've ever been really loved  
  
By a hand that's touched me, well I feel like something's gonna give  
  
And I'm a little bit angry, well  
  
This ain't over, no not here, not while I still need you around  
  
You don't owe me, we might change  
  
Yeah we just might feel good]  
Bosco is riding with Cruz.  
  
[I wanna push you around, well I will, well I will]  
  
[I wanna push you down, well I will, well I will  
  
I wanna take you for granted, I wanna take you for granted, yeah I will,]  
Sully and Davis are riding together, looking miserable.  
[She said I don't know why you ever would lie to me  
  
Like I'm a little untrusting when I think that the truth is gonna hurt ya]  
Sully glares at Davis.  
  
[And I don't know why you couldn't just stay with me  
  
You couldn't stand to be near me  
  
When my face don't seem to want to shine  
  
'cuz It's a little bit dirty, well ]  
  
Faith is still alone in the hospital. She looks sad.  
  
[Don't just stand there, say nice things to me  
  
I've been cheated I've been wronged,  
  
And you don't know me, I can't change  
  
I won't do anything at all ]  
Fred orders another drink.  
  
[I wanna push you around, well I will, well I will  
  
I wanna push you down, well I will, well I will  
  
I wanna take you for granted, I wanna take you for granted, yeah I will, I will ] 


	3. It's All about Forgiveness

Chapter Three

"It's All About Forgiveness"

Previously on my version of Third Watch: 

Faith is recovering from being shot. Fred wants her to quit her job. Bosco asks Faith to be partners with him again but Cruz gives him another shot at working ACU. Davis tells Sully he won't be partners with him any more unless he tells Faith the truth, and is forgiven for his actions.

********

Faith is laying on her couch. Her arm is in a sling and her swollen eye is dark purple but she can see out of it a little now. She is flipping through the channels with the remote until she finally turns the tv off. The apartment is quiet. Fred got up and got the kids off to school and then went to work.. She is tired of laying down already, and there is nothing on tv she cares to see. She is bored.

There's a knock at the door, and she grimaces as she gingerly gets up from the couch. She opens the door, and standing there, holding a basket of fruit, plastic wrapped with a bow, is Sully. He smiles as he peeks around the huge basket. "Special delivery." He says. "How are ya feeling?"

"Sully, how sweet. C'mon in. Would you like some coffee?"

"Yah, I'd love a cup, uh, if you're feeling up to some company."

"I'd love some company. I've only been laid up for two days and I'm bored out of my mind. I usually have so much work to do around here that I never have time to sit. Now I have time, and I hate it." She walks slowly to the table, and holds her chest as she sits down across from him.

            As Sully watches her, a feeling of regret washes over him. She looks more banged up than he had expected. It is obvious that she is in more pain than she lets on. He notices that she keeps holding her chest, and every  time she inhales, her body seems to shudder slightly. This is going to be harder for him than he first imagined. He isn't sure where to begin. And he isn't sure how she is going to react to what he has to tell her.

Sully grabs a napkin that is laying on the table and starts folding it unconsciously. "So Faith…I need to talk to you about the incident at the diner."

"Oh, so this isn't really a social call. What, did they send you down here for my statement?"

"No. Not at all. I do have to turn in my report though. I need to get a few details straight with you before I can turn it in." He pauses again and looks at her, then looks down at his hands. He begins tearing the napkin apart. 

Faith can see that Sully is squirming. His smile is now a scowl and there are worry lines on his brow and he is having trouble making eye contact with her. "Sully…look, I'm going to be ok." She says, trying to ease his mind.  

He looks at her quickly, and then back at the napkin he destroyed. "Faith, I just feel terrible about what happened. My God, look at you. You could have died. I didn't… I should have been there." 

She makes it worse for him when she puts her hand on his huge hand and says softly, "Sul, it's ok. It wasn't your fault."

He pulls his hand out from under hers and says, "Yes it is. It's all my fault. You don't understand." He looks at her and she's looking back sympathetically. "I was… I didn't react. I didn't get there to back you up." He stops talking and glances up at her face to see her reaction.

"Sully, you can't blame yourself for not getting there quick enough. I should have waited for you. It's really my fault."

"No. I didn't back you up. I never thought you'd be hurt. And I didn't back you up."

"What do ya mean? Of course you backed me up. Davis was there. I saw you…"

Sully cuts her off and says, "Faith, I was angry at you. That is why we took so long to get there. I was angry at you, so naturally I didn't believe that you were really in danger." He looks up at her and now her expression has changed. She looks confused. She is starting at him in disbelief, and she looks as if she is replaying the incident in her mind. "Faith, you never mentioned there were gunmen. I thought that someone skipped out with out paying their check. So I took my time responding."

"You and Davis didn't…." 

Before she can finish her statement he jumps in. "No. Not Davis. He had nothing to do with it. He wasn't in the car. He didn't hear the call and I didn't tell him. Not until I realized the call was for real." He looks at her pleadingly. "You've got to believe that I feel terrible. If I could do it all over again… God Faith. I wish it was me that got hurt. I just can't live with what I did." 

"Maybe you better leave." She says softly. She looks hurt and betrayed.

"Faith, please. Don't hate me. I can't even explain how bad I feel. I will never do anything like that again. To anyone. I realize how important being a cop is to me now and I know that I jeopardized that. I've been a screw up lately, but if you could just believe that this has changed me…"

"Why are you here Sully? What do you want from me? You want me to say it's ok, what you did?"

"I want you to understand it's human nature to be angry at someone and not want to do them any favors. I want to be the cop that I used to be. I am going to start caring again, about what I do and the people that I do it for. But I can't if you don't forgive me. Faith, you and Davis are the only people who's opinion matter to me, and Davis said he can forgive what I did, if you can. And if you don't, he's dropping me as a partner and reporting what I did. My career will be over. I'll die if I don't have this." 

"Get out Sully. I can't talk to you about this. Just leave."

"No. Please, just try to understand. I was trying to teach you a lesson about turning your back on your partner. I wanted you to work alone, that's why I didn't answer the backup call. Not because I thought you were in any danger or because I wanted you to be hurt."

Tears form in her eyes now and she says, "Everyday I fight with my husband about this job. He says it's too dangerous and I tell him I'm safe because we have each other's backs. And then Bosco turns his back on me every time Cruz pops up, and now you turn your back on me out of spite. Maybe Fred's right. I can't help you to get into your job again. I can't fix your guilt. I might not come back myself. Just leave me alone now."

"Faith, if you make me leave, and don't forgive me, you'll be sentencing me to death."

"Isn't that almost what you did to me?"

[Back at the precinct]

            Bosco walks in about an hour earlier than usual. As he walks by the desk, Lieutenant Swerski does a double take. "Boscarelli, What is going on?"

Bosco looks over, "What Lieu?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I came in early. Cruz said if I get my reports done, I could work ACU and help catch the guys that shot Faith."

That sounded feasible. "Ok, go on. But is isn't OT for you."

Bosco reads the report and double checks it before placing it on Cruz's desk. On his way out he runs into her. "Serge, I got those reports done."

She walks past him without looking up. "Good, it's about time." She notices he is still standing in the doorway. "Somethin else?" She asks.

"I wanted to work ACU for a while. To help catch those guys that robbed the diner."

She scowls at him but then her attitude changes. "Ok Boscarelli. Come with me."

He gives a surprised little smile and says, "Where are we going?"

"To your girlfriend Yokas' place. She hasn't filed a report on the robbery, and her statement and description from the hospital was sub-standard."

"She was hurt really bad." Bosco offers.

"I'm aware. But you know how I hate loose ends. We'll get her statement and then we'll go catch these guys." And as she walks on she adds, "And we can show Yokas how to arrest a bad guy."

[Back at Faith's house]

            After Sully left, Faith laid down but couldn't sleep. She was very upset and his actions left her feeling uneasy. His reasoning of just human nature; being mad at her, therefore not responding to her call for help, was unacceptable. At least, not for a cop on the job. It is always frightening when you have to draw your weapon in a situation, but there is some security in knowing that the whole force is behind you. It scares her think that this may have happened in the past, someone pissed at her or who don't really like her, or just doesn't know her…and didn't respond quickly. And she went in assuming she had backup…and really didn't.

            Her head is throbbing hard so she takes a few pain killers and lays down. But she can't shut her mind off. She really is thinking that Fred may be right. This job, that she loves, is not all that she imagines it is. The one person she could rely on, her partner, is only there for her when the situation is desperate. When Cruz walks in, he drops her like she isn't important. Human nature.  He is infatuated with Cruz and her anti crime unit. And even yesterday he came to her, wanting to be partners again, _after_ she got hurt. She told him to give ACU another try and he did…that easy. Her world is falling apart. And the security she felt in that world, is melting away, and so is she, as the pain pills finally kick in.

            About twenty minutes into her sleep, there is a pounding on the door. She is startled awake and tries to sit up, but pain shoots through her, forcing her to lay back down. She is disoriented and calls for Fred. The pounding comes again and there is no response from Fred so she lifts herself off the couch gently. "I'm coming, give me a minute." She looks through he peek hole and sees Bosco and Cruz. "Shit…it's good cop, bad cop." 

She opens the door and moans, "What is it?" 

"Are you alright? You look terrible." Bosco says.

"I was asleep. I took some pain pills."

"We need to get a statement from you. You didn't give us much information at the hospital." Cruz says as she searches the apartment with her eyes.

"I don't remember giving you any information at the hospital." She says confused.

"We can come back later if you don't feel up to it." Bosco says with concern.

"No, lets do it." She says opening the door. 

Cruz walks in, puts her hands on her hips and twist, looking all around like she is casing the place. "So why don't you tell us how you first noticed the diner was being robbed."

"I noticed the three guys on the sidewalk. They were up to something. They were waiting for me to leave, so I drove up the street and parked. They looked suspicious as they went into the diner so I called it in as a 

10-30."

"You mean a  _possible _10-30." Cruz interjects.

"Right…I walked up to the diner and looked in, saw the robbery and called for back up." She isn't sure what she is going to say about Sully.

"So you never saw a gun until you went in?"

"Yah…I mean no…I saw the gun while I was waiting for backup."

"So why didn't you radio in that the perps were armed?"

Faith shakes her head, confused. "I did call it in." 

"No officer Yokas…you didn't. I listened to your radio communications. In fact, you didn't verify that is was a real 10-30. You didn't verify that there were weapons. You didn't inform anyone how many perps there were or how many vics there were." Leaning in closer, "And you didn't wait for your back up. You're very lucky to be alive."

Faith looks completely baffled. Bosco realizes now, why Cruz brought him along. She came here to make Faith look stupid and she wanted to do it in front of him. He tries to help her, "Faith, you look like you need some rest. We should…"

Cruz cuts him off. "I'm gonna hafta put this in the report, unless you have something more to add on your behalf."

Faith tries to remember what happened but she can't think straight. Images keep popping in and out of her mind. Walking to the diner...calling for back-up…talking with Sully…waiting forever for backup…the waitress getting beaten…and stepping inside, and realizing they had an automatic weapon. The details in between won't come. She starts to feel dizzy and wishes they would leave. 

"How about the perps? What can you tell me about them?"

Faith tries to clear her head but it's like she is trying to run through mud. She pictures the one guy on the sidewalk with his back to her, another one walking in and out of view from the doorway, and the third guy…he is just a blurry image behind an automatic weapon that is flashing at her. She realizes Cruz just asked her something but Faith doesn't know what she said. She nods yes, then looks at Bosco, and the look on his face tells her that was the wrong answer. She gives Bosco a look that means help, and he understands.

"That's enough. She isn't up to this. We'll come back when your off the medication." Bosco says, coming to her rescue.

"Ok. You don't want to screw this up too." Cruz says, smirking as she heads to the door.

"Go wait for me at the car, I'll be right down." Bosco says. He then leans over Faith, who is sitting on the couch. She is obviously disoriented and very pale. "Are you all right? Should I call your mom to come over and stay with you?"

"No. I just need to lay down." She lays her head back against the couch and falls asleep sitting up.

Trying not to wake her, Bosco throws a blanket over her and puts a pillow under her head. He glances back once more before he leaves, to be sure that she is alright. 

[Later]

Bosco is riding with Cruz. She is telling some story that he isn't really listening to. He is thinking about Faith, and what Cruz did, and he is a little pissed at her so he isn't speaking much. The radio crackles to life. Central calls Cruz to respond to a call from Candy, an officer on foot patrol. He has caught one of their perps from the robbery.

Bosco responds that they are on their way.

            They pull up to the sidewalk, to find Candy talking crap to a young man lying face down on the sidewalk, hands cuffed behind his back. Bosco climbs out of the car and says, "What is this, trash day?"

Candy retorts with, "I ran into this dirt bag when I came out of the diner." He nudges the guy with his foot and says loudly as he leans down to him. "My favorite diner." He looks back to Bosco, "There were three of them casing the place. I recognized them from the morning flier. I grabbed this one, the others ran off."

"Ok, this jag-off is a good place to start. We'll get his buddies when he rolls on them. Nice job Candy." 

[Back at Faith's apartment]

            Faith wakes up to a dark apartment, with the phone ringing. She sits up and turns the light on, and as she answers the phone, she sees a note from Fred. He took the kids out for burgers, and he left her a sandwich in the fridge. She answers the phone and a familiar voice says, "Faith, how are you feeling?" It's the Lieutenant.

 "I'm really sore but I'm  doing ok. I've been sleeping a lot."

"Well good, get all the rest you can. We need you in tip-top shape when you come back. I called because Cruz brought in one of the suspects from the robbery. They are putting together a line up. I thought if you were up to it, you'd want to come down."

There is a long silence as Faith thinks, 'shit…Cruz had be the one to catch him'. 

"If you're not up to it, that's ok. We have plenty of people from the diner comen in tonight. I just used this as an excuse to call and see how you were feeling."

"No, I'd like to. I need to get up for a while. Can you send someone to pick me up? Could you send Sully?"

"Sure. I'll radio him to come and get you as soon as he's freed up."

            She hags up and thinks about Sully. According to Cruz, Sully was right, she didn't radio in that there were weapons, or anything important. Her mind is clear now, and she remembers being so intent on backup coming, that she never radioed in the details. She remembers only trying to urge Sully to hurry. No wonder he didn't put a lot of importance on the call. She is feeling so unsure of herself, so wrong, that she decides to listen to Fred, save her marriage and herself, and quit this job. She can't seem to keep a partner, and she'll never be able to trust anyone. And there's no point in taking Sully out with her.

            Sully and Davis pull up in front of Faith's apartment and she is waiting out front. Davis gets out and helps her over to the car. "Davis, I want to thank you for helping me when I was hurt. I never got the chance to say that."

"No problem. I'm just glad that I was there. I'm glad you're ok."

She gets into the back seat and Sully is looking at her nervously in the mirror. She can see the worry in his eyes, as he keeps glancing at her. Finally she says, "Listen…I went over what happened in my head. I realize now that I screwed up." She looks up and sees Sully is still looking pretty nervous, and Davis has turned, facing her in the back seat.

"Sully talked to you right? Told you how it happened?" 

"Yah…I don't agree with what he did…but…I know now that I really didn't call it in right. I didn't give any information at all really. I didn't make it clear that I was in danger, and if you guys had responded, you probably would have both been hurt too."

She is surprised that sully doesn't look relieved, but Davis smiles big and says, "Ok then. I guess we'll all learn from this, right?"

[They arrive at the precinct]

            Davis and Sully help Faith slowly climb the stairs to where they have the line up. As they turn up the hallway with the window, that looks into the room with the line, they see Bosco and Cruz at the end of the hall. He is leaning with his back against the wall, and she is leaning with her chest against his. She is talking to him with her face against his, about what plans she has for them after work tonight, and she is playfully pecking kisses on his face in between words.

"I'm sorry, we were looking for the line up, not the pick up." Sully says sarcastically.

Bosco, startled by the fact that someone is watching, pushes her away quickly. She hangs on to his over shirt for a few seconds longer before she walks over to the window. "Yokas, I heard you were coming down but I didn't actually think you'd show. Are you sure you can remember what you saw?"

Faith doesn't answer her as she walks up to the window. The D.A. walks up the stairs, reading over some papers. She looks at Faith and says, "Are you officer Yokas?" Faith nods and the D.A. asks if she's ready. She nods again. The light is flipped on and Faith picks out number three. 

"Number three! Are you sure?" Cruz says, insinuating that she picked the wrong guy.

Faith looks again, feeling a little unsure, but then says, "Yes. I'm sure. Number three." As she turns back towards the stairs, Cruz says out loud, purposefully for Faith to hear, "Bosco, we should have this case wrapped up by the end of the week. Then we can move on to more dangerous cases." She wants to be sure Faith knows that Bosco is staying in ACU.

[Music starts playing. It is Don Henley's "Forgiveness"]

Faith is walking by the lieutenant at the front desk.

_[I got the call today, I didn't want to hear. But I knew that it would come._

_An old true friend of ours was talking on the phone. She says you found someone.]_

Bosco watches from the top of the stairs as Faith walks out of the building. Cruz is talking to him but he isn't listening.

_[Then I thought of all the bad luck, and the struggles we went through._

_And how I lost me and you lost you.  _

_What are these voices, outside love's open door._

_Make us throw off our contentment, and beg for something more._

_I'm learning to live without you now. But I miss you sometimes.]_

Sully walks over and gets into the driver's seat.

_[The more I know, the less I understand. The things I thought I knew, I have to learn again.]_

Faith wraps her jacket tight around herself as Davis holds the car door open for her.

_[I've been tryen to get down, to the heart of the matter. But my will gets weak, and my thoughts seem to scatter.]_

Sully watches Faith get into the backseat slowly.

[But I think it's about, Forgiveness, Forgiveness. Even if, even if, you don't love me anymore.]

Cruz grabs Bosco's over shirt and turns him towards her.

_[Ah, these times are so uncertain, there's a yearning undefined, and people filled with rage.]_

Bosco puts his hands around her waist.

_[We all need a little tenderness, how can love survive, in such a graceless age.]_

Faith lays her head back against the seat. 

_[Trust and self assurance, that leads to happiness, their the very things, we kill I guess.]_

Bosco is smiling and talking to Cruz.

[Pride and competition can not fill these empty arms. And the work I put between us, ya know it doesn't keep me warm.]

Faith turns and looks sadly out the window at the precinct.

_[I'm learning to live without you now. But I miss you baby.]_

Sully starts the car and pulls away.

[The more I know, the less I understand. All the things I thought I'd figured out, I have to learn again.]

Davis is smiling and talking to Sully.

[I've been tryen to get down, to the heart of the matter. But my flesh will get weak, and the ashes will scatter.]

Sully watches Faith in the mirror and she looks up and sees him. Their eyes stay fixed for a second.

_[But I think it's about, forgiveness. Forgiveness. Even if, even if, you don't love me anymore.]_


	4. Man's Best Friend

I still don't own the characters of Third Watch nor do I own the songs.  
I want to thank every one who reviewed this story. I am working on the final chapter and I am taking into consideration all the comments that you've given me. Please keep the reviews coming.  
  
**************  
Chapter 4  
  
"Man's Best Friend"  
Previously on my version of Third Watch:  
Sully confronts Faith about what he did. Cruz criticizes Faith's actions during the robbery, causing her to have doubts about her ability as a cop.   
  
************  
  
Bosco is sitting at a desk doing paper work. There are so many forms to fill out, more than when he was just on patrol in the RMP. It is doubled because he has to fill out those reports, then almost duplicate them for ACU. He has filled out five forms so far on the diner shooting, and a few of those were two sided, and now he is struggling on this next report.   
  
He didn't hate the paper work as much when he was working with Faith, partly because she did most of it, but also because they would do it as they rode patrol. At least it felt like they were actually working. He misses Yokas more now because she usually did all the paper work on people's statements, things you actually had to put into your own words. He, mostly did the stuff you just filled in the blanks with information off a drivers license.   
  
This report is especially hard, because it pertains to the statement that he and Cruz obtained from Faith yesterday. It made her look pretty bad. He is trying to be creative and not make it sound like she botched the situation, but he can't help but wonder what the hell she was thinking. Communicating on the radio was another part of the job that Faith usually did when the were partnered.   
  
He decides to hold off on this report, and talk to Faith again. Hell, maybe she will be feeling up to writing it for him. He looks at his watch. Fred will probably be coming home from work right about now, and he doesn't want to go there and run into him. He'll go see her tomorrow before his shift. And besides, there is plenty more paper work he can do instead.   
  
Suddenly, a reprieve. Cruz rushes past the desk and calls, "Boscarelli, come with me." He stands up, grabs his jacket off the chair, and hurries after her. "Yes ma'am."  
  
His mood has changed from dreary-dull to excited in the blink of an eye. God he loves the adrenaline rush. "What's up?" he says grinning.  
  
"Dog attack. In the park."  
  
"Dog attack?" He is a bit disappointed that it wasn't some wild shoot out, or something like that, but still, it must be something if they called ACU. As they arrive on the scene, he sees the usual pandemonium. There are several RMPs and two EMTs there. Sully, Davis and Candy are pushing the crowd back. The usual onlookers, saying 'Oh God, I can't look.' Yet they stay and gawk and get in the way.  
  
There are four adults sitting on the grass and Carlos and Kim are scurrying back and forth between them. And there is one child laying on the grass. Doc is working frantically over her. It looks serious. He is yelling to Carlos to drop what he's doing and come help him. The kid's mother is kneeling close by and she is hysterical. Maria Lucas, from 55 Adam is consoling her, while her partner Dale Martin, stands nearby looking uncomfortable. They both have blood on them. They must have been first on the scene. Maria helps the woman to her feet and Martin finally steps up to help as they walk the woman towards the ambulance. Doc and Carlos have the kid on a stretcher and rush her into the back.   
  
As it pulls away, he sees Martin put his hands on Lucas' shoulders and say something to Lucas that looks consoling, because she is obviously upset. Then she reaches up and wipes some blood off his face for him. Then they both head towards their RMP. They look to be very close.  
  
Bosco approaches them before they get in the car. "What happened here? Were you first on?"  
  
"Yah. These pit bulls came through the park and they both went after that little girl. Some people nearby tried to get them off of her and the dogs turned on them too. Actually, Candy got here first from the east side, we came in from there. (pointing) That dog, (he points again, and Bosco sees a dog laying dead behind him) turned on us as we approached. The girls mother started screaming for help and the dog turned towards her. I shot it before it got her too. Candy shot the other one."  
  
"God damn." Bosco murmurs. "Where the hell did they come from?"   
  
Martin tells him that witnesses said they came from the west end, probably that crack neighbor hood outside the park. He also mentions that the dogs were badly scarred up. "Looks like a dog fighting ring. That's why we called in ACU. Anything else? We gotta get to Mercy. Help that kids mother. Man, we're gonna be here all night on this. The call came in ten minutes before our shift ended."  
  
Bosco nods sympathetically at him. "You'd better go. Hey, is the kid gonna be alright?"  
  
"I don't think so. I don't think she was alive when they left."  
  
After getting statements from the witnesses, and then checking the dogs for any tags, they head back to the precinct. Bosco, again starts doing paper work. This time a whole new set for the new case. Cruz is on the phone, pulling information from different resources about dog fighting rings.   
  
*****[Later]*****  
  
Bosco is at the control desk getting more forms, when 55 Adam finally returns. As they walk by, Bosco asks them how the little girl made out.  
  
"The little girl didn't make it." Martin says.  
  
Lucas stops briefly, then says, "I'm heading in." and enters the locker-room. Martin watches after her looking worried.   
  
"She all right?" Bosco asks.  
  
"She's taking it pretty hard. You know, being a kid and all."  
  
"Yah. My partners the same way about kids."  
  
Martin looks over at Cruz and says surprised, "Really? She don't look like anything could phase her."  
  
"Oh, not her. I meant Yokas, my old partner."  
  
"Yokas, the cop that got shot. Oh, that explains why you're stuck with Cruz."  
  
"Yah." Bosco says quietly. "So, you and Lucas are pretty close, huh?"  
  
"Yah. Best friends. My wife calls her my other wife."  
  
"She jealous?"  
  
"No. They get along great. Besides, Lucas is gay."  
  
"That don't bother you?" Bosco asks.  
  
"No, why should it. She's a great partner. That's hard to find, am I right?"  
  
Bosco nods. "Do you two ever fight?"  
  
"What partners don't. We could be hollering at each other in the car, and I know she wants to kill me, but then we get a call and there is no doubt in my mind that she has my back. Not for one second. I trust her more than anyone in the world, even my wife. That's all that matters, right?"  
  
Bosco says, "Right." In a far away tone.  
  
"When you find a great partner, you hold on to 'em." Martin adds.  
  
Suddenly they are interrupted by Cruz yelling, "Boscarelli, are you worken today or what?"  
  
Martin says, "Well I'd better go." Then glancing in Cruz's direction, "Hope your partner recovers quickly."  
  
*****[It's early the next day.]*****  
  
Faith answers the door to find Bosco standing there, paperwork in hand. He holds it up and says hi.  
  
"Hi. Did you come alone or is your girlfriend hiding in ambush?"  
  
"I'm here alone. I figured we can do your statement together. Your eye looks a lot better."  
  
"Bos, you've got to learn to do your own paperwork."  
  
"Hey, I'm only thinken of you. I can't hand in that shit you told us, they'll take your gun away."  
  
"I really don't care what the report says. And, ya know what Bos, I really don't have anything I can add to make it sound better."  
  
"C'mon, you need to tell me everything. According to this, you never even called in that there was a real robbery. I don't care what Cruz said, I know you. You don't just forget this stuff. Not you."  
  
"Cruz heard the communications." She says unattached.  
  
"What is wrong with you? Just tell me how it went down."  
  
"Bos, I called in a possible 10-30 and never upgraded it. I never reported that there were weapons. Nothing. I ran in there without thinking. Without backup."  
  
"Well, you 'called' for backup right? And Sully responded. What did he say? Did he question if it was real?"  
  
"No. He said they were around the corner."  
  
"Then what happened."  
  
"Then they beat up that waitress. I thought they were gonna kill her, so I just went in. I tried to surprise them, but they surprised me."  
  
"So it all happened too fast for you to call in anymore information. It happened in a matter of one or two minutes. Quicker than Sully could arrive from around the corner. And you rushed in to save the waitress. That's all. That makes perfect sense."  
  
She lets it go at that, and doesn't bother to explain that she actually waited 18 minutes for Sully to arrive. Plenty of time to have called in the information.  
  
*****[Later that afternoon]*****  
  
Fred comes home from work and Faith greets him at the door. She kisses him and asks how his day was.   
  
"Terrible, but it's better now. What are you doing up, shouldn't you be laying down?"  
  
"I laid down all morning. I got bored with it, so I got up and got dinner ready. But I need your help." She escorts him into the kitchen. "I couldn't put the roast in the oven with only one hand."  
  
Fred puts the huge pan in the oven for her and then wraps his arms around her. "I could get used to this. Having my wife home, and dinner waiten for me."  
  
"Yah?" She says smiling.  
  
"Yah. Why don't you stay home for good and not go back to work."  
  
"Really, Ya mean it?" She is smiling like a child with a secret.  
  
"What are you up to?" he asks half laughing.  
  
"Well, I've had a lot of time to think and I made a decision I think you'll be pleased with."  
  
"Tell me."  
  
"I'm gonna quit my job."  
  
He stares at her for a few moments. "What? Are you serious?" He looks happily surprised.  
  
"Are you ok with that?" She asks.  
  
"Yah. Of course. I've been telling you to quit for years. What brought this on?"  
  
"Well, you want me to, right?"  
  
"Wait a minute," Fred puts his hands on her shoulders and pushes her an arms length away. "You're not doing this just because I told you to, are you? Because, you'll only regret this later, you'll end up resenting me, and hating me for the rest of my life."  
  
"No...I mean...well that's part of it, but I have my own reasons."  
  
"Well, what are they?"  
  
"Does it matter?"  
  
"Yes! It matters. This is a big decision and I want to make sure you're doing it for the right reasons."  
  
She turns her eyes away from him, and gazing at the floor, she tells him, "I just don't think I can do this job any more. I've realized I'm not that good at it and before I hurt myself again, or hurt someone else..."  
  
Fred stops her in mid sentence. "What are you talking about? You're a great cop."  
  
She shakes her head and glances farther away from him, with a gaze that means she doesn't want to hear this. Fred takes her chin in his hand and forces her to look at him, and in a serious tone, says, "Faith...you're a good cop."  
  
"I'm only half a cop. I have no partner. I don't feel safe out there anymore."  
  
"Oh, I get it. And once again this boils down to Bosco. I don't want you to partner with him, and you can't be a cop without him. Is that what's going on?"  
  
She raises her voice a little for emphasis. "No. That's not it. The truth is..." She pauses because this is hard for her to say, "I made a mistake. I screwed up and I almost got killed. I don't trust my judgment any more. Bosco has moved on. He found a partner in ACU that he can work with...But, I can't find one. A partner will keep you straight, ya know? Watch out for mistakes before you make them."  
  
"So tell them that you want a partner. You won't go back until they find you one."  
  
"You don't get it. It took seven years for me and Bos to click the way we do. He knows what I'm thinken. And I know what he's gonna do before he does it. You don't have that with just anyone. I don't want to start over. I don't have the desire to. It's dangerous. I don't feel safe out there anymore. With or without a partner."  
  
"Well, what about taking the sergeant's exam?"  
  
"I don't want to be a sergeant. I never did. I like being on patrol. But I... I'm afraid now. I'm scared to go back out there." For a second, she looks at him helplessly like she's lost. Then she shrugs his hands off of her shoulders and gives him an angry look. "Why are you arguing with me? You never wanted me to be a cop anyway."  
  
"I don't know why I'm arguing with you. I just want you to be happy, and safe. If you don't feel that in your job any more, then good. Quit."  
  
*****[Back out on the streets]*****  
  
Bosco and Cruz are in an unmarked, heading to the neighborhood west of the park. Cruz got the name and address of a suspect that had been brought in for questioning, and released, five months earlier in connection with a dog fighting ring. They are on their way to pick the guy up.  
  
Cruz explains the situation to Bosco. "About five months ago they were shutting down this dog fighting ring. They get search warrants for the whole gang, but when they get to this guys place, they find cages, dog food...everything but the dogs. Someone must have warned him. So they got nothing to hold him on. Now, he's the only one in the wind, and he lives near the park. He's got to be our guy. So, we'll show up, and if he's got dogs, we can tie him into everything. If he don't have any dogs, even better, that means we already got his dogs from the park. We just gather some dog hairs from his place, and we got him...on everything from murder to animal abuse. It's a win-win situation. He's going away for a long time."  
  
"Shouldn't we call animal control? In case he has any dogs in there?"   
  
"You don't leave fighting dogs just sitting around the house. They'll be caged. Besides, I'm sure we have his dogs. I've got a feeling."  
  
They pull up in front of a dilapidated house that, if not for the rusted Ford in the driveway, would look abandoned. As they get out of the car, they hear a dog start barking from inside. Bosco looks at Cruz and she shakes her head confidently. They look around the yard quickly, then walk up to the door.   
  
They draw their weapons, Bosco knocks hard and yells, "Police. Open the door."  
  
They get no response. After the second try, Cruz motions towards the door knob with a nod of the head, and he turns it. The door is unlocked. Bosco raises his gun to shoulder level and slowly opens the door. As he walks in, with Cruz close behind him, he yells, "Police. We have a warrant. If you are holding a weapon, toss it into the hallway, and place your hands on your head." There is no sound but the dog barking from a room nearby.  
  
The hallway leads to a kitchen. There is a doorway to the right about four steps away. As Bosco reaches it, he turns abruptly at it, thrusting his gun into the room. Except for some clutter, the room is empty. They slowly continue walking up the hall towards the second door, about four more steps ahead on the left. As Bosco steps to the doorway, a pit bull leaps into the hall in front of him and lunges at his arms. It clamps onto Bosco's arm with a vice like grip, causing him to fire the gun at the ceiling. Bosco yells out in pain. He falls backwards and pushes the dog as far off him as he can, yelling "Shoot it, shoot it!"  
  
No one hears him. As this was happening, Cruz heard a door slam from the same room the dog was in, and she has already run back down the hallway, and out the door, slamming it shut behind her so the dog don't get out. She races around to the back yard, and finds the suspect has climbed to the top of the fence in the yard. As she yells 'freeze' she fires at him, hitting him in the shoulder, and knocking him into the next yard. As she calls in to central for an ambulance, she hears five shots from inside the house.  
  
*****[Back at the Yokas house]*****  
  
After dinner, Faith was feeling pretty sore so she took a pain pill and fell asleep on the couch. Fred is sitting in a chair, staring blankly at the tv. He is thinking about the conversation he had earlier with his wife. He has mixed feelings. He knows what he wants her to do, but he can't give her advise on what she should do.   
  
Faith moans. Fred looks over and watches her sleep. She starts moving restlessly, and thrashing like someone is fighting her in her sleep. Like they have been every night since the shooting. She is being tormented and he can't reach her. He never could when it comes to her pride or her personal goals. He tucks the blanket in around her, and then makes a phone call. After hanging up, he leaves the house.  
  
*****[At the hospital]*****  
  
The doctor is putting the final stitches in Bosco's chin. All together he got 32 in his left arm, 12 in his right hand and 8 in his face. The doctor recommends for a second time that he stay over night but he sternly declines. As the nurse walks out of the room, Bosco ask her to send Sergeant Cruz in.   
  
"I think she left. As soon as they admitted the shoulder wound, she walked out."  
  
"Son of a bitch" Bosco says under his breath.   
  
The doctor finishes up and asks if someone will be there to stay with him when he gets home, and he says yes. He'll be going to his mom's for the night. Bosco is gingerly putting his shirt back on as the doctor walks out of the room, and he hears the doc say, 'sure you can go in and see him now.'  
  
Without looking up, Bosco says, "I knew you'd come back." He glances up and is floored to see Fred Yokas walk in. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I called the precinct and they told me you were brought here." Fred thinks about the last time he was here. Less than a week ago when Faith was rushed in. There were seven or eight cops in the waiting room and three or four paramedics, all waiting to see how she was. There is no one here for this guy. He briefly feels sorry for him because Faith really is all he's got. But tough shit, then he should have treated her better.   
  
"Is Faith here?" Bosco asks confused.  
  
"No. I just thought I'd come down and find out what happened, you know, for her."  
  
"Right. Well...I'm ok. Got stitches. I Got attacked by a pit bull. But they're letting me go home." After a long awkward silence, Bosco says again, "What are you really doing here Fred?"  
  
"I wanted to talk to you about something so I called the precinct, but when they told me you were here...well... [long awkward pause] I don't know why I came. I guess because Faith couldn't." Fred thinks to himself that Bosco has become like family, even to him. Although, kinda like an annoying cousin.  
  
"Would you mind giving me a ride home? I'm goen to my moms. We can talk on the way."  
  
*****[On the road in Fred's truck]*****  
  
Bosco gives Fred the directions and they head to his mom's. He doesn't know what to make of Fred. Here he is driving him home, even though what Fred probably wants to tell him, is to stay away from Faith, and don't plan on being her partner again. Or maybe Faith told him about his visit with Cruz. That really upset Faith. They shouldn't have upset her when she wasn't feeling well, and Fred must be pissed off about it. Can't blame him. He tries to plan how he will respond to what ever Fred has to say, when Fred finally speaks.  
  
"Faith is having a real hard time recovering from that shooting." He keeps staring straight ahead, as if he's not really talking to Bosco. "I don't know what to do to help her. I thought maybe you could talk to her."  
  
Bosco is stunned. This is certainly not what he was expecting Fred to say. "Me? You want me to talk to her?"  
  
"Well...you've been shot right? It's something that maybe you can relate to, where I can't."  
  
"What do you mean by a hard time? What's wrong?"  
  
"She's not herself. She's really depressed. And she can't sleep, not for more than a few hours at a time. Then she tosses and turns like she's having a nightmare. And when I wake her, she don't remember it. Or she don't want to tell me. I don't know. Something's wrong though."  
  
"Well ya know Fred, they are gonna make her see the shrink down at the precinct before she can go back to work. It may be better for a professional to talk to her."  
  
"She ain't going back to work. She's quitting."   
  
Bosco stares at him for a second, then says sarcastically, "Well did you ever consider that making her quit could be what's depressing her?"  
  
"I'm not making her quit. It was her decision, out of the blue. In fact, she got mad at me for trying to talk her out of it. She don't talk to me about cop stuff. But something is really bothering her and I can't help her. I was just hoping that for once you could be helpful. Be there for her for once." Fred looks over and holds his gaze on Bosco.  
  
"Of course I'll talk to her. But, she doesn't always open up to me either. You know how stubborn she can be. But I'll try." After a few moments of silence, Bosco says to Fred, "I can't believe you're asking me to help, after what you said at the hospital and all. I didn't think you'd want me around."   
  
"Bosco, she's my wife and I love her. I'm losing my best friend and I'll do anything to get her back, even ask you for help. Even if it means you two have to be partners again."  
  
Bosco nods thinking, he just saw her today and she never let on that something was wrong...or that she was going to quit. He's losing his best friend too.  
  
*[The music from Cheryl Crow's "Diamond Road" begins to play]*  
  
Bosco's mom is fussing over him as he gets into bed.  
  
*[Walk with me the diamond road, Tell me every story told]*   
*[Give me something of your soul, That I can hold on to]*  
  
Faith is thrashing in her sleep.  
  
*[Wanna wake up to the sound of waves, Crashing on a brand new day]*  
  
Fred is watching her from the doorway.  
  
*[Keep the memory of your face, But wipe the pain away]*  
  
Bosco gets up and gets his ACU badge out of his coat.  
  
*[When your lonely, When your heart aches]*  
*[It's gonna take a little time, Yah, It's gonna take a little time]*  
  
Fred walks over and sits on the edge of the bed, and tucks the blanket in around Faith.  
  
*[When the night falls, When you're stumbling]*  
*[It's gonna take a little time, To make it to the other side]*  
  
Sully and Davis are in their RMP talking and laughing.  
  
*[So don't miss the diamonds along the way, Every road has met us here today]*  
  
Bosco has his arm behind his head, and his stare is far away as he flips the badge around in his fingers.  
  
*[Little bird what's troubling you, You know what you have to do]*  
*[What is yours you'll never loose, and what's ahead may shine]*  
  
Fred has gotten into bed and doesn't realize that Faith is awake now.  
  
*[Ah beneath the promise of blue skies, Broken wings will learn to fly]*  
*[Pull yourself out of the tide, And begin to live again]*  
  
Faith gets out of bed and walks to the living room without turning on a light.  
  
*[When your lonely, When your heart aches]*  
*[It's gonna take a little time, To make it to the other side]*  
  
Bosco is staring at his ACU badge.  
  
*[When the night falls, When you're stumbling]*  
*[It's gonna take a little time, And everything will be just fine]*  
  
Cruz is sitting at her desk doing paperwork.  
  
*[So don't miss the diamonds along the way, Every road has met us here today]*  
  
Bosco tosses the badge onto the night stand and it falls to the floor.  
  
*[Life is what happens, while your making plans]*   
  
Faith is standing in her living room, looking at a picture of her and Bosco, taken when they graduated from the academy together.  
  
*[All that you need, is right here in your hands]* 


	5. All Wounds Heal

This is the final chapter. I want to thank every one who gave reviews. I kept all your comments in mind as I wrote it. I hope the ending doesn't disappoint you. Please review and let me know what you think. And I know they used this song in the real show, but after searching hundreds of songs this one fit the best.   
  
**************************************  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"All Wounds Heal"  
  
Previously on my version of Third Watch:  
  
Bosco is starting to miss working with Faith. Faith decides to quit her job. Bosco is injured on a call. Cruz turns her back on her injured partner as she goes after a perp. Fred asks Bosco for help.   
  
*****[It's early morning at the Yokas house]*****  
  
Fred gets up early and gets the kids off to school. He goes into the bedroom and watches Faith as she thrashes in her restless sleep. He sits on the edge of the bed and touches her shoulder gently. She gasps loudly as she pushes him away, startled. She's a little stunned as she says quietly, "Was I dreaming again?"  
  
"Yah. Do you remember what it was about?"  
  
"No...I'm sorry I woke you."  
  
"I was already awake. I'm leaving for work. I just came in to check on you. Maybe you should see someone about these dreams. Isn't there a shrink down at the station you can talk to?"  
  
"I don't need to talk to anyone, it'll go away."   
  
Fred doesn't push the issue because he knows that Bosco is going to talk to her. He actually woke her on purpose so he could mention him to her. He knows that if he tells her Bosco was injured, she'll make the effort to see him and she won't know that he actually set it all up. He tells her, "I didn't want to wake you last night, but the lieutenant called. Bosco got injured."  
  
"What? Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"I am telling you. He wasn't hurt bad, or I would have woke you. It was a dog bite or something. Look...I gotta leave for work or I'm gonna be late." He kisses her forehead and leaves.  
  
Faith gets up and pours a cup of coffee. She sits at the table and thinks about her dream. It's the same thing every night. She's on patrol alone. She is going from call to call, and at each call, she is getting shot at. The only thing that varies in every dream, is the shooter. Sometimes it's Bosco, Sometimes it's Cruz, or Sully. Davis even shot at her one night. It don't take an expert to interpret that dream. She doesn't feel safe on the job, and she doesn't trust any one she works with. The dreams will stop once she quits.   
  
She thinks about how much her life is going to change. She feels like she is waiting for that change to happen...but it already has. This life...right now, is what she has to look forward to every day. She tries to picture herself as a stay at home mom. She says out loud to herself, "Next I'll be having dreams that Fred and the kids are shooting at me." She thinks to herself that she may as well go back to bed. She has no reason to get up anymore. Then she remembers... "Bosco"   
  
Faith calls the hospital to see if he'd been admitted. He hadn't. She picks up the phone to call him at home, but realizes it's too early. It's too early to call anyone that may know anything. She'll just have to wait.  
  
*****[It is the same time of the morning at Bosco's mothers house]*****  
  
Bosco is laying awake in bed in his old room. He thinks of how many nights, like last night, he laid awake worrying in this very room. The only thing that changed was the people that he was worried about. It used to be his mom and his brother Mikey. Now it was Faith, and for once...himself.   
  
His arm is throbbing terribly. He just took a pain killer a half an hour ago, and it isn't working yet. He can't believe how strong that dog was. How hard his bite was. He thinks about that poor little girl being attacked by two of them. It must have been horrible. No wonder Lucas was so upset. Anyone would be. Anyone but Cruz. That heartless bitch! He still can not believe that she left him while he was being attacked. She definitely knew. Either it was more important to her to catch the perp, than to save her partner, or she was afraid and ran out. Her fear is easier to accept...but harder to believe.  
  
He is shaking with anger now, as he thinks about her. She didn't even wait for him at the hospital. That bitch! How did everyone see that in her but him? Even Martin had a low opinion of her, it was obvious by the things he said. And the way he looked at Cruz when he said "I hope your partner recovers quickly." His partner. "Faith..." he says out loud. "You were right...as usual."   
  
He thinks about Faith, and what Fred told him. Every one goes through some emotional shit when they get shot, and Faith can be very emotional. It can't be as serious as Fred thinks. He will talk to her, and worst case, he can take her to the shrink that helped him through his PTST. She'll be alright. He'll be alright...once he has her for a partner again.  
  
*****[In the locker room at the precinct]*****  
  
Sully is getting dressed for his shift. Davis enters, in a really good mood. "Sully my man...what a beautiful day. Or should I say, what a beautiful day to start over."   
  
Sully looks up from folding his shirt and says, "Yah, nice day."  
  
Davis nudges him with his elbow as he grins and raises his eyebrows up and down comically. "C'mon...It's a beautiful day. Say it...say it."  
  
Sully can't help but snicker. "You're in a great mood. What happened, you get a date with the head cheerleader?"  
  
"Oh...Sully with the youngster joke. I'm surprised you know what a cheerleader is. Did they have them for chariot races?.....ohh" He shoots back grinning.  
  
Sully laughs. It feels good. It feels like it used to. As they share a laugh, Cruz storms in and slams her locker open. They get quiet and glance over. She grabs something out of it and slams it shut hard, and storms out.  
  
"ouuu...someone woke up on the wrong side of the 'web' today." Davis says as he simulates a spider with his hands. Sully snickers again, and finishes getting dressed, smiling from ear to ear.  
  
Davis' face gets serious and he says, "Hey man...I'm really glad that you got all squared away with Yokas. I'm proud of you for standing up like that."  
  
"Thanks." Sully gets serious too, "We gotta turn in that report now. I didn't really discuss that with Faith...what we were gonna write in the report about taking so long. Do you think I should?"  
  
"No Sul. Faith is cool. She knows what to say." Then he reaches up and palms Sully on the top of the head, messing his hair. After a few times Sully goes after him, and Davis, looking shocked, runs out of the locker room.   
  
*****[Back at Faith's house]*****  
  
Fred calls Faith from his lunch break and when she answers, he can still hear the same sadness in her voice. "What are you doing honey?"  
  
"Nothing." she tells him.  
  
"Did you get any visitors today?" He asks hopefully.  
  
"No."   
  
"Did you find out anything about Boscarelli?"  
  
"No. He wasn't admitted to the hospital, and there is no answer at his apartment. So there is only one place he could be..."   
  
Before she could say Cruz's, Fred says, "His mom's?"  
  
Faith snaps to attention. "His mom's...of course. That's where he went when he was upset about that 'Shaquana' rape case. I'll call there."  
  
"Why don't you go down there, you haven't been out of the house in a week. Listen...I gotta go, my trucks loaded. I love you."  
  
She tells him she loves him back and hangs up the phone. She starts to look up the phone number to the bar, but then considers what Fred said. She decides to go down there herself.  
  
*****[Back at the precinct]*****  
  
Cruz is sitting on a bench outside the lieutenant's office. The door opens and two detectives walk out. They both stare at Cruz as they pass by. She gets up and walks in the office, carrying a folder.  
  
The lieutenant gives her a stern look. "I asked to see you two hours ago."  
  
"I know, but I was busy. I was waiting for the lab results from forensics so I could bring this report with me." She tosses it on his desk.  
  
He picks it up and starts skimming through it. "I called you in to ask you about yesterday's incident. Where Boscarelli got injured."  
  
"What about it?"  
  
"What the hell happened? Why was animal control not involved?"  
  
"We had no idea that there was a dog on the premises. We didn't hear any barking. I was sure that we had already killed the guy's dogs in the park."  
  
"My next question is...why did Boscarelli have to shoot the dog himself? Where were you?"  
  
"I was chasing the perp. He had run out the back door. And I caught him." She gets a smug look on her face and waves her hand at the report. "It's all in there."  
  
"You also didn't fill out the paperwork for Boscarelli in the hospital. Why is that?"  
  
"He did it himself. At least I figured he did. I left the hospital so I could turn in some very important evidence. I collected some dog hairs from the house, and got them to the lab right away, so I could prove that we had the right guy for the little girls murder." She grins like she is proud of herself. "And guess what? Turns out he is the right guy."  
  
"First of all, I'm writing you up for not following procedure. Your first priority is to protect your partner at all costs."  
  
"Oh...excuse me for wanting so badly to put a killer away. I thought it would make you look good to go public with the news that we caught the guy, and that the park is safe."  
  
He stares at her coldly. "I would also like you to explain to me how the hairs from the dogs we shot in the park, got into the house that you and Bosco raided, when the actual owners of the dogs don't live anywhere near there, and don't know him."   
  
"What? What are you talking about. I got those dog hairs from that house."  
  
"And I have two people in lock up that went to the animal shelter, looking for the two pit bulls that got out of their yard. They have already identified the two dogs. And now, the guy you shot knows nothing about the two dogs we shot, doesn't know the couple that own the two dogs, and couldn't possibly have had hairs from the two dogs in his house."  
  
"Obviously they are lying about knowing each other. They must be working together in the dog fighting ring. Are you trying to accuse me of planting evidence?"  
  
"I just asked for an explanation. But you don't have to give it to me. You can explain it to the detectives that are investigating the case. They are the ones that actually have all the questions. You need to go give them a statement... and I mean right now...not two hours from now." She stands to leave and he says, "One more thing...I need your weapon and your badge. You can have them back when the investigation is finished...if they decide you should get them back."  
  
*****[Later at the bar]*****  
  
Faith walks in feeling a little self conscious. There are two 'bar flys' sitting at the end of the bar, and a familiar looking woman behind it cutting up a lemon. She recognizes her to be Bosco's mother as she sheepishly approaches her.   
  
Bosco's mother looks up from her chore to see this woman walk in, with a black eye, bruised face, and an arm in a sling. She says, "You sure look like you could use a drink, honey. What's your poison?" Then she recognizes her. "Faith, is that you?" She hurries around the bar to her saying, "Oh my God...Maurice didn't say that you'd been hurt too. Did the dog do that to you?"  
  
Faith say's "No this was somethin else." as his mother slips her arm around her shoulder and ushers her to a table.   
  
"Well...if you two are gonna remain partners, you gotta do a better job of watchen out for each other."  
  
"Yes ma'am. We do."   
  
"I'll go tell Maurice that you're here."   
  
She comes back within minutes, and hurries behind the bar to pour them each a glass of coke. Then Bosco appears in the doorway. He also has a sling on his left arm, and the left side of his face is swollen and red, and there are two hair line cuts running down his cheek and under his chin.  
  
He sits across from her at the table and they stare at each other for a moment while his mom sets them up with their drinks. They study each other's battle wounds...the ones you can see and the ones you can't. Bosco speaks first. "You look like hell."  
  
"Yah? Well you look worse. How the hell did you get bit by a dog?"   
  
He gets a sour look on his face, "I didn't get bit by a dog, I was attacked...by a pit bull."  
  
"So how bad is it?"  
  
"My arm is the worst. Tore the muscle and it bit down to the bone. And I got stitches in my face."  
  
"You can hardly see them. They did a nice job." She says studying his face.  
  
After a few moments of awkward silence, he decides to test the water. "I'm gonna be out about six weeks. We'll probably go back to work about the same time." She looks away and doesn't say anything, so he says, "I took your advise and gave ACU another try." Still no response. "I haven't changed my mind. I want to go back on patrol. I want us to be partners again."  
  
"Bosco...I don't think that..."  
  
"Faith, you were right about Cruz. She is a different breed. They have different priorities in ACU. Me and Cruz went to this house to arrest a guy for having dog fighting pit bulls. She wouldn't let me call for backup, she wouldn't let me call in animal control. She didn't want any one else to get credit for her collar. Then we get in there...the perp releases the dog at us and runs out the back door. She leaves me with the dog, to go after the perp. It was more important to her to catch the guy, than it was to protect her partner."  
  
"That Bastard." Faith thinks to herself, that was rotten, even by Cruz's standards. "You know, you don't have to be with Cruz to work in ACU."  
  
"They are all like that in ACU. I can't be that kind of cop. I've had enough. I just want to get back to..."  
  
"Bos...I'm not coming back to work. I've had enough too. I'm quitting."  
  
"No you're not. You don't want to quit."  
  
She looks up at him and then glances away speaking softly. "You know that report on the shooting? Well I really did screw up. It didn't happen in a matter of seconds. I had almost twenty minutes to call that information in. I just forgot. That has been happening a lot lately. I just can't..."  
  
"Twenty minutes? You're wrong. You gotta be. Even Sully could get there in less than twenty minutes."  
  
"He didn't respond. He didn't believe it was real, so he ignored the call. He was mad at me and..."  
  
"That lazy son of a bitch! Are you serious?"  
  
"It's alright, we talked it out. He feels bad about it."  
  
"You're gonna report him aren't you?"  
  
"Are you reporting Cruz?"   
  
They share an understanding look.   
  
"Bos...I don't feel safe out there anymore. I've realized that..."  
  
"Faith, you were in a really bad situation. Nobody would blame you for not thinking of everything. No one expects you to be perfect."  
  
"That's not the point. You've seen it yourself. There are a lot of cops out there with bad attitudes. You start making mistakes on top of that, and people get hurt."  
  
"Those cops have always been out there. We never got hurt when we were partners...not this bad. You know why?" He puts his hand on her hand and she finally looks him in the eye. "Because we take care of each other. I trust you with my life. Always have. You trust me too, don't you? You know I have your back...Right?"  
  
"I don't know Bos...I've ridden with too many Gusslers and Sullys lately. I know that you have my back...when you're available. But...I'm only in your way. I don't want to hold you back."  
  
Bosco looks down and shakes his head. "You're right. I haven't been there for you. You've been out there alone and you almost got killed." Then he looks up and gives her his most sincere look. "I'm sorry...if you knew how I've been beating myself up over the way I've treated you..." She starts to say something but he stops her. "I've paid for the way I acted. I've learned the hard way not to turn my back on the people who really care. I don't feel safe out there without you. I'm telling you...I swear, that I will always be there for you."   
  
  
  
He looks her in the eye and says, "Faith...what do ya say? Let's be partners again."  
  
"I don't know. I already told Fred that I'm quitting. And you know how he feels about us being partners."  
  
"Talk to Fred...he'll be ok with it. I'm sure he will."  
  
"Let me think it over. And I will...I'll talk to Fred."   
  
She gets up to leave, and Bosco's mother says, "Faith, are you leaving?"  
  
"Yah. It was good to see you again Mrs. Boscarelli."  
  
"You too dear. And thank your husband again for driving Maurice home from the hospital."  
  
She gives Bosco a surprised look, and he says, "Like I said, I think Fred will be ok with it."   
  
*****[Six weeks later]*****  
  
Lieu is just finishing roll call. Standing next to him is a nice looking young officer in plain clothes. "...that's all I have for you...oh, one more thing, I'd like every one to meet sergeant Parker, Cruz's replacement in ACU. Ok...Everyone be safe out there. Especially 55 David, who are finally back from the injured list." He says smiling.  
  
As the officers begin to shuffle out of the room, they all stop and say some quick greeting to Faith and Bosco, welcoming them back. Sully and Davis also walk up and pat Bosco on the back and Sully hugs Faith. The four of them walk out to the RMPs together and Sully says, "Hey, why don't we meet at Rocco's for our food break, like old times."   
  
They all agree, then climb into their cars, and drive out into the streets. And everything is as it used to be. As it should be.   
  
*[Fleetwood Mac's song "Peacekeeper" starts playing]*  
  
*[We make all of our suns the same. Every one will suffer the fires we made]  
  
*[And they all explode just the same. And there's no going back on the plans we've laid]*   
  
55 David and 55 Charlie are driving up the street. 55David turns left, 55 Charlie turns right.  
  
*[Peacekeeper take your time. Wait for the dark of night. Soon all the suns will rise.]*  
  
*[Peacekeeper don't tell why. Don't be afraid to fight. Love is a sweet surprise]*  
  
Cruz is cleaning out her desk.   
  
*[Only creatures who are on their way, Ever poison their own well]*  
  
*[And we still have time to hate. And there's still something we can sell]*  
  
*[Peacekeeper take your time. Wait for the dark of night. Soon all the suns will rise.]*  
  
*[Peacekeeper don't tell why. Don't be afraid to fight. Love is a sweet surprise]*  
  
It is dark out and the officers are pulling into a restaurant together.  
  
*[You know all of our friends are Gods. And they all tell us how to paint our face.]*  
  
*[But there's only one brush we need. It's the one that never leaves a trace.]*  
  
The officers are talking and laughing together, then they all lift their glasses in a toast.  
  
*[Peacekeeper take your time. Wait for the dark of night. Soon all the suns will rise.]*  
  
*[Peacekeeper don't tell why. Don't be afraid to fight. Love is a sweet surprise]*  
  
~The End~ 


End file.
